Method of and apparatus for rounding the spine of a book block

ABSTRACT

The spine of a book block is rounded by a sequence of operations including positioning the book block with its spine resting against a platen and one of its faces resting against a rounding beam, and swinging the rounding beam with a motion component parallel to the faces of the book block and normal to the length of the spine of the book block thereby to round the portion of the spine of the book block adjacent the other face of the book block and simultaneously turn the book block thereby to bring the other face against the surface of the platen.

United States Patent 1 Fomm et al.

[ 1 July 24, 1973 METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR ROUNDING THE SPINE OF A BOOK BLOCK [73] Assignee: VEB Polygra-iischer Maschinenbau Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany [22] Filed: Feb. 23, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 117,906

UNITED STATES PATENTS Fomm 11/5 Primary ExaminerLawrence Charles Attorney-Nolte & Nolte [57] ABSTRACT The spine of a book block is rounded by a sequence of operations including positioning the book block with its spine resting against a platen and one of its faces resting against a rounding beam, and swinging the rounding beam with a motion component parallel to the faces of the book block and normal to the length of the spine of the book block thereby to round the portion of the spine of the book block adjacent the other face of the book block and simultaneously turn the book block thereby to bring the other face against the surface of the platen.

2 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures rmmsnmza m5 3.747;145

SNEEI 1 [IF 3 FIG. IA FIG/D FIG/B FIG/E INVENTORS KLAUS HEINRICH FOAIIIM WERNER BARW ATTORNEYS minim ms 3.741145 SHEET 2 BF 3 FIG. 2

INVENTORS KLAUS HEINRICH FOMM WERNER BARWICKI av $W ATTORNEYS m OE SHEEI 3 (IF 3 INVENTORS KLAUS HEINRICH FOMM WERNER BARWICKI av 77% a M ATTORNEYS O 0 o O PMENIEDJIILZMQB METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR ROUNDING THE SPINE OF A BOOK BLOCK This invention relates to a method and apparatus for the combined rounding and turning of book blocks.

In the known methods the book block at a first rounding station is positioned on an inclined resiliently supported platen and the portion of the spine of the book block adjacent the face of the book block opposite the face resting on the platen is rounded by the swinging movement of a rounding beam. Then the book block arrives at a second rounding station after being turned and there the portion of the spine of the book block adjacent the other face of the book block is rounded in the same way.

The disadvantage of the known method is that the turning of the book block takes place by means of a turning mechanism at a separate turning station which involves considerable additional expense.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a simplified and less expensive method and apparatus for rounding and turning book blocks.

According to the invention, the motion cycle of the rounding operation is simultaneously employed for a turning operation. More particularly, according to the invention, at the beginning of the operation one of the faces of the book block is resting on a rounding beam and by the swinging motion of the rounding beam the portion of the spine of the book block adjacent the face of the book block opposite the face resting against the rounding beam is rounded and simultaneously the book block is so turned that the last mentioned face thereof is brought against an inclined resiliently supported platen so that the portion of the spine adjacent the other face may then be rounded by a rounding beam.

Thus, according to the invention, the introduction of a special turning apparatus or station is obviated and the process of book block spine rounding is simplified.

The invention will now be further described by reference to a specific embodiment thereof as illustrated in the drawings, in which:

FIGS. 1A to 1F are schematic illustrations of a book block, rounding beams and platens in various sequential positions according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a front elevation of a machine incorporating the present invention; and

FIG. 3 is a side elevation, partly in section, taken on section line 3-3 of FIG. 2, of the machine of FIG. 2.

The machine includes two rounding stations, having respective rounding beams 2a and 2b. Perpendicular to the respective rounding beams 2a and 2b are respective inclined platens 3a and 3b. The platens 3a and 3b are mounted in respective platen guides 9a and 9b resiliently by means of respective helical springs 80 and 8b.

The machine is powered through a driven main shaft 4. Keyed to the shaft 4 are cams 5a and 5b for the re spective rounding stations. Respective roller type cam followers 11a and 11b mounted on the first arm of respective 3-arm articulated linkages a and 10b are driven by respective cams 5a and 5b. The respective third arms 70 and 7b of the respective linkages 10a and 10b pivot at respective joints defined by respective roller type cam followers 40 (only one of which is illustrated) which are guided by respective arcuate cams 6a and 6b. The cams 6a and 6b are integral with the arms 7a and 7b respectively. The rounding beams 2a and 211 may thus each be swung with a motion component parallel to the faces of the book block and normal to the length of the spine of the book block reversibly between a position in which the rounding beam is normal to and abutting the respective platen and a position in which the rounding beam is parallel to the respective platen.

The feeding of book block 1 from the first rounding station to the second rounding station is effected by gripper 24a and press pad 25a and the feeding of the book block 1 from the second rounding station to a subsequent post-forming station is effected by gripper 24b and press pad 25b, grippers 24a and 24b and press pads 25a and 25b being secured on a feed rail 26. Reciprocation of the feed rail 26 is effected by a push rod 23 and a crank 22, the crank 22 being rotated by means of a bevelled gear drive 21. The bevelled gear drive 21 and main shaft 4 are both driven by the same separate infinitely variable driving unit 20.

Feeding of the book block 1 is effected by means of an endless conveyor belt 17 mounted on rolls l6 and by further means of a chute 18 the upper lip of which defines a stop 18a. A plunger 15, which is driven from the shaft 4 by means of a cam 13 keyed to the shaft 4 and a tipping lever 14 one end of which is engaged by the cam 4 and the other end of which engages the bottom of the plunger 15, lifts each book block 1 over stop 18a. A helical return spring 15a maintains firm engagement between the bottom of the plunger 15 and the end of the tipping lever 14 in contact therewith. The feeder is driven by an infinitely variable driving unit 19.

After the rounding is completed, the blocks ll arrive at a post-forming station comprising a double conveyor belt 28 mounted on rolls 27. The double conveyor belt 28 clamps the book blocks 1 laterally and feeds them continuously over a post-forming roller 30 under pressure so that the spine of each book block is further shaped. The height of roller 30 is adjustable by means of an adjusting device 29 comprising a threaded vertical shaft supporting the bearing for the roller 30, the shaft being in engagement with a threaded vertical bore and being provided with a knob or wheel. The postforming station is driven by separate infinitely variable driving unit 31.

Rounding by means of the apparatus of the invention proceeds as follows. A first book block 1 is pressed by the conveyor belt 19 against the stop 18. At that time, the plunger 15 lifts the book block 1 over the stop 18a. Pushed by the following book blocks 1, the first book block 1 slides down the chute 18 to the first rounding station. The book block 1 now has its spine resting against the platen 3a and a face resting against the rounding beam 2a (FIG. 1A). The rounding beam 2a is then swung with a motion component parallel to the faces of the book block in a direction normal to the length of the spine of the book block, thus turning the book block and at the same time rounding the portion of the spine of the book block adjacent the face opposite the face resting against the rounding beam (FIG. 1B). The rounding beam 2a is then swung back to its original position (FIG. 1C). The book block 1 is then moved by means of gripper 24a and press pad 25a to the second rounding station at which the face of the book block 1 adjacent to the rounded portion of the spine rests against-the platen 3b and the spine rests against the rounding beam 2b (FIG. 1D). The rounding beam 2b is then swung to a position in which it rests against the other face of the book block 1, the swinging motion being like that of the rounding beam 2a and effecting rounding of the portion of the spine adjacent that other face (FIG. 1E). The rounding beam 2b is then returned to its initial position (FIG. 1F). The spine of the book block 1 is thus completely rounded with one swing each of the respective rounding beams 2a and 2b, without a separate movement for turning the book block. Then the book block 1 is transferred by means of gripper 24b and press pad 25b to the postforming station.

While the invention has been described by reference to a specific embodiment thereof, it is to be understood that this is by way of illustration and is not a limitation upon the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. For example, it will be appreciated that, in principle, the invention could be carried out at a single rounding station but that the use of two consecutive rounding stations is more efficient.

What is claimed is:

1. Method of rounding the spine of a book block, comprising positioning the book block at a first rounding station with its spine resting against a platen and one of its faces resting against a rounding beam, swinging the rounding beam with a motion component parallel to the faces of the book block and normal to the length of the spine of the book block thereby to round the portion of the spine adjacent the other face of the book block and simultaneously turn the book block thereby to bring said other face against the surface of the platen, then transferring the book block to a second rounding station with said other face against the surface of a second platen and the spine resting against a second rounding beam, and swinging the second rounding beam with a motion component parallel to the faces of the book block and normal to the length of the spine of the book block thereby to round the portion of the spine adjacent the first face of the book block.

2. Apparatus for rounding the spine of a book block, comprising a first rounding station having a platen and a rounding beam, means for positioning the book block with its spine resting against the platen and one of its faces resting against the rounding beam, means for swinging the rounding beam with a motion component parallel to the faces of the book block and normal to the length of the spine of the book block thereby to round the portion of the spine adjacent the other face of the book block and simultaneously turn the book block thereby to bring said other face against the surface of the platen, a second rounding station having a second platen and a second rounding beam, means for transferring the book block to the second station with said other face against the surface of the second platen and the spine resting against the second rounding beam, and means for swinging the second rounding beam with a motion component parallel to the faces of the book block and normal to the length of the spine of the book block thereby to round the portion of the spine adjacent the first face of the book block. 

1. Method of rounding the spine of a book block, comprising positioning the book block at a first rounding station with its spine resting against a platen and one of its faces resting against a rounding beam, swinging the rounding beam with a motion component parallel to the faces of the book block and normal to the length of the spine of the book block thereby to round the portion of the spine adjacent the other face of the book block and simultaneously turn the book block thereby to bring said other face against the surface of the platen, then transferring the book block to a second rounding station with said other face against the surface of a second platen and the spine resting against a second rounding beam, and swinging the second rounding beam with a motion component parallel to the faces of the book block and normal to the length of the spine of the book block thereby to round the portion of the spine adjacent the first face of the book block.
 2. Apparatus for rounding the spine of a book block, comprising a first rounding station having a platen and a rounding beam, means for positioning the book block with its spine resting against the platen and one of its faces resting against the rounding beam, means for swinging the rounding beam with a motion component parallel to the faces of the book block and normal to the length of the spine of the book block thereby to round the portion of the spine adjacent the other face of the book block and simultaneously turn the book block thereby to bring said other face against the surface of the platen, a second rounding station having a second platen and a second rounding beam, means for transferring the book block to the second station with said other face against the surface of the second platen and the spine resting against the second rounding beam, and means for swinging the second rounding beam with a motion component parallel to the faces of the book block and normal to the length of the spine of the book block thereby to round the portion of the spine adjacent the first face of the book block. 